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March for Life and easier, more affordable adoptions

RANDY BOYD, Special for the Sun
Published 5:00 a.m. CT Jan. 19, 2018

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In this June file photo, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd tells The Jackson Sun editorial board that the state has invested $108 million in the 4,100-acre Megasite.(Photo: KENNETH CUMMINGS/The Jackson Sun)Buy Photo

This morning, our nation’s capital will overflow with both hopeful and repentant energy as thousands of pro-life supporters rally at the annual March for Life. The single largest pro-life event in the country will spur hundreds of marches across the nation, including one in my hometown of Knoxville, which I plan to attend.

My reason for attending the Tennessee Right to Life March is simple: my wife Jenny. Although many feel that the question of life at conception was decided in 1973, Christians and conservatives have carried a heartened belief that our Creator never intended for His declaration to somehow become a question. All life is God-breathed and the pro-life community bears the mantle that holds both the expectancy that this truth will again prevail and the sorrow of mourning 40 million victims.

As I’ve been on the campaign trail and learned more about the things politicians say and do, I’ve realized what a terrible disservice it is to believe the pro-life cause is merely a “social issue.” This “social issue” has a name, a face, a story — and for me, it is Jenny Boyd.

Her story began many years ago when a major in the U.S. Army was stationed abroad. He and his wife adopted Jenny and brought her home to Tennessee when she was just two weeks old. Twenty-five years later, I would fall in love with her and she would become my wife. For me, it’s not about the politics of life, it’s about the love of my life.

Too often, the names, faces and stories are lost in the battle of social issues. I am thankful to the ardent pro-life advocates who have been unwilling to let these details be passed over or rejected as anecdotal. I know firsthand that this outspoken support of life truly is far-reaching and changes the course of history.

It was enough to encourage a young mother to seek an alternative and it changed the course of history in my life that would include the blessings of marriage and two sons. March for Life encompasses the gratitude for what was, and the repentance for what could have been.

The annual march provides an inflection point to the pro-life cause and I hope to add more to the story in Tennessee by highlighting our need to make this state the most adoption-friendly state in the country. Adoption is a lifeline for all involved, but it’s going to take more to truly extend that lifeline throughout our state.

Nonprofit groups like Life Choices Clinic and, in my hometown, the Hope Resource Center, are the first responders in extending the lifeline of adoption to mothers who are at a crossroads. The safety and optimism these groups provide is a key component in making adoption a viable choice for mothers, and they deserve our full support.

The path to making Tennessee the most adoption-friendly state in the country will require clearing the path: there are far too many financial and governmental obstacles. The average cost of adoption can range from minimal to nearly $50,000.

Recently, Congress shamefully removed the adoption tax credit, and the public outcry forced lawmakers to reconsider and restore this important tool for families who are extending the lifeline. Under my watch in Tennessee, that sort of affront to our efforts will not be tolerated and we will work to actively offset financial and regulatory burdens — a loving family shouldn’t come wrapped in red tape.

I would be remiss to not mention another player in our pro-life/pro-adoption landscape, and that is foster care. In Tennessee, there are more than 8,000 children in our foster care system and available for adoption. More than 55 agencies are working to support fostering, adoption and the adoptive families across the state.

Far too few children are adopted out of foster care, with research showing that fewer than 1,000 children were adopted out of the system in 2012. These children faced many uncertainties in their young lives but one thing is certain: they will be better represented and better supported in my administration.

As you watch the news this weekend and see pro-life marches across the country, counter-protests and everything in between, my sincere hope is that you will think of what was and what could be in Tennessee. Our state has the chance to extend the lifeline to more mothers, more children, more families — and it will truly change the course of history.

Randy Boyd, Republican candidate for governor, is a conservative entrepreneur, businessman and philanthropist in Tennessee.